Clint Dempsey is poised to return to his former club Fulham on a two-month loan from the Seattle Sounders. The USA forward has held productive talks with the west London club and, according to US sources, he is ready to rejoin them when the winter transfer window opens on 1 January.

The Major League Soccer season begins for the Sounders on 8 March and Fulham's intention would be to keep Dempsey until late February. He stands to help them in their battle against relegation and could be particularly important if Dimitar Berbatov were to get the move from Craven Cottage that he wants in January.

Berbatov, whose contract at the club expires next summer, has become unhappy and the sacking of Martin Jol, the manager who signed him and placed such faith in him, was a further disappointment. There are clubs in Spain, Italy and Turkey that would gladly match or better his £70,000-a-week salary.

Dempsey left Fulham for Tottenham in August of last year under acrimonious circumstances. He had been pursued by Liverpool and he made it plain that he no longer wanted to play for Fulham. Tottenham nipped in to take him for £6m on transfer deadline day and they trebled his wages.

Dempsey had been a crowd favourite at Craven Cottage over five-and-a-half seasons, when he scored 50 goals in the Premier League. His return of 23 in all competitions in 2011-12 was the high point. Dempsey moved from Tottenham to the Sounders for £6m last August, where he has struggled for goals, scoring only once in nine appearances.